Recent Posts

Archives

Judging a fake by its cover

By rampant bicycle, on July 15th, 2010

Well, MY week’s been crazy busy. How about yours?

I can’t tell you what part of the busy-ness is in reference to except that it involves reviewing and will eventually be online somewhere else, I hope. But even aside from that, I’ve had an ill relative to tend, and of course about a million job applications to fill out, it seems.

This article about an exhibit on fakes and forgeries in art is fascinating (can’t remember where I picked it up, unfortunately; apologies to misplaced link person!) I am particularly intrigued by the author’s comments on why we think fakes and forgeries are cool: they appeal to some deep-seated inner something or other in us all that suggests that when you get right down to it, art is a scam.

Of course, this had me contemplating other recent forgery furors, such as all that business about Obama’s birth certificate…I wonder if the same principle applies? Perhaps some of those people who believed he wasn’t really American-born clung so tenuously to that belief for the same reason…it spoke to some inner instinct that told them the entire political system was nonsense, a scam, a fraud.

(I shall refrain from offering my own opinions on said political system, however.)

On another hand, Naomi found this very interesting little survey about book covers and their impact on book purchases. I’ll wait while you go have a look.

Intriguing, no? Looks like a lot of people do judge books by their covers, proverbs aside.

Then again…Is there really anything wrong with that? These days, when there are so many books to choose from…how do you make sure yours gets noticed? You put a striking cover on it, that’s how.

More importantly, though, I am finding that I agree with the comments that a good cover should really try to capture visually the essence of the book. No wonder the survey-takers felt that cliches were offputting; they don’t really tell you much, do they, about what kind of story you’re in for?

I have to admit I’m as much of a sucker for a well-designed cover as anyone, though I’ll put the book back if whatever’s inside doesn’t sound interesting. I’ll have to try the reverse some time – go pick up covers I find really UNattractive and see if what’s inside will motivate me to buy the book anyway…

1 comment to Judging a fake by its cover

The Book Cover Archive has a great collection of beautifully designed covers. I’m particularly fond of the work of Chip Kidd. I know there are several collections of Penguin Books covers out there as well.